how to party with locals in Kissimmee!

Tuesday

I don't really know that we can call the transplanted Pennsylvanians "locals", but they've been living down in Florida for the last four years, after having a home on Tybee for over fifteen years before that, so... I say they're "locals" now!

 

I had not seen the Englers but once since their move, so I'd contacted Lynn last week to see if she and her daughter would be up for a visit.

 

Bring it on, she'd said!

 

She's 77 now and she found an instant new friend in Chloe - LOL!

Lauri was still working when we arrived, so we all splashed about in the pool until she was done.

 

Did I say "pool"?

 

Indeed, I did, and it was on a lovely lanai that had been been one reason they bought this house.

 

Screened-in, on all sides and the top, so no gnats or mosquitoes could wander in from the marsh!

 

When Lauri graced us with her presence, she did it in true movie star style, wearing a full-length, UV-proof, bathing suit - wowzah!!!

 

She's uber-pale, like the Chlo, so that was perfect!

And what was she doing in the above photo?

 

Making pizza dough, from scratch, no less.

 

Perfect for our pool and pizza party!!!

 

Here, she's sliding the first pizza - the one for the kids - into another reason they bought this house: a pizza oven installed by the previous owner.

 

Hey, his business was pizza, so of course he had installed this beauty!

 

There was also a very nice grill, which was Lynn's to work culinary magic upon.

 

Very nice!

Once both pies were done, it was dinner time!

 

That was out on the lanai, too, as the rain had held off, allowing us to dine on the fire table - yes, a third reason this had been the house for them!

 

Chloe and Miyah enjoyed the cheese pizza that Lauri made especially for them... and we grown-ups totally enjoyed the pepperoni-mushroom-veg treat... and then there were brownies!!!

 

Absolutely wonderful!

Then, the girls went off to play around the pool, giving us time to talk and catch up - hooray!

 

Seriously, all it seems to take to make the two little blondes happy is a swimming pool, right?

 

Here, they're pretending to fish with the pool noodles attached to cat toys on little poles, and they did that for about an hour.

 

They followed that with an imaginary story line as they circled the pool and explored the view. 

That gave us time to laugh and share stories - like of the coworker that confused "incompetent" with "incontinent" when complaining to Lauri about a fax machine, leading Lauri to seemingly commiserate when she said, "Yeah, that's a pisser."

Hahahaha! Hahaha!!

 

And before we knew it, the sun had set!

 

And before we knew it, it was 10 PM!!!

 

We stayed for the nightly ritual with Sancho and Sahili, as Lynn made treats for the medicines for the two 14-year-old felines.

Very cool parting show, y'all!!! 

Many thanks!!!